Over 150 individuals were apprehended at New York University on Monday evening during demonstrations in support of the Palestinian cause. According to the authorities, students, faculty members, and other individuals were detained after NYU officials requested assistance from the New York Police Department in clearing a plaza on campus. The majority of those apprehended were still undergoing processing, but it was anticipated that the majority, if not all, would be released. The arrests occurred just days following the arrest of more than 100 individuals, including numerous students, during protests held at Columbia University. Since the commencement of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in October, demonstrations have erupted at several other institutions, including Yale University. In a statement posted on social media, Kaz Daughtry, the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner for Operations, remarked, “There is a pattern of conduct emerging on campuses across our nation, in which individuals endeavor to occupy a physical space in defiance of institutional policy.” “Rest assured that, in New York City, the NYPD stands prepared to confront these prohibited acts, which subsequently become unlawful, whenever our services are requested.” According to a statement released by the Department of Global Campus Safety, protestors at NYU on Monday breached barriers that had been placed around Gould Plaza, a square positioned outside the Stern School of Business. Officials cautioned individuals who had congregated in the square on Monday that they were required to vacate the premises by 4 p.m. Those present in the plaza received a message from safety personnel stating, “If you depart at this time, no one will face repercussions for today’s actions — no discipline, no police.” “The only safety requirement we imposed was that no additional protesters would be allowed entry into Gould Plaza,” the message stated. “With the breach of the barricades early this afternoon, that requirement was violated, and we have observed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonistic behavior that has compromised the safety and security of our university community.” As per a letter distributed by Daughtry, the NYDP deputy commissioner, NYU officials sought assistance from the NYPD.
NYU Arrests Over 150 in Pro-Palestinian Protests
